Aligner and tear-off device for typewriting machines



y 3, 1929. w. J. WISWALL 1,721,539

ALIGNER AND TEAR-OFF DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES Filed Oct. 19. 1926 a! INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM: J. WISWALL, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SALES BOOK GOMPAN Y, LIMITED, OF TORONTO, CANADA, A CORPORATION OF ONTARIO, CANADA.

ALIGNER AND 'IEAR-OFF DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

Application filed October 19, 1926. Serial No. 142,583.

This invention relates toaligning devices for tyl'iewriters, billing machines, and the like, and, with respect to its more specific features, to devices adapted to control and align long, continuous paper record strips in superposed relation on the platen of the typewriter, so that the successive printed forms of one strip may be aligned with the successive printed forms of the other superposed strips, thereby insuring that the printing in each set of superposed forms will be in the same position in all the forms of the set, and that the successive perforations or weakened dividing lines in the strips will be in registry for tear-01f purposes.

It maybe noted that it is preferred that the rccordstrip supply shall consist of long strips of record paper each having succ'essive transverse weakened lines, with printed forms between successive lines, these long strips being folded as one on the transverse weakened lines and in a zigzag manner to form a fat supply packet. In each strip is a longitudinal series of similar aligning apertures in the same relation 'to the printed forms in all the strips, so that when superposed apertures are in registry the printed forms corresponding thereto are also in registry. For eachprinted form it is preferred to employ two or more of said aligning apertures, two being provided for in the present embodiment. Also the weakened lines between "forms are in registry when the aligning apertures thereof are in registry, and the weakened lines are also in superposed registry.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a perspecchine embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical diagrammatic section of Fig. 1 on a reduced scale.

The numeral 1 indicates a rotatable platen of a typewriter, such, for instance, as utilized in the Burroughs Moon-Hopkins billing machine.- This platen is rotatably mounted in a paper carriage 2, which carriage is adapted to move progressively in letter spacing direction in response to key action by the operator. The numeral 3 indicates a supply packet of a plurality of long record strips having printed forms, transverse weakenedlines, and aligning apertures, as above referred to. The supply packet may rest on a shelf conveniently supported at the rear of tive view of a portion of a typewriting'ma the machine. From the supply packet 3 the several record strips flow in superposed relation to each other to the typewriter platen, being conducted over the typewriter by supporting guides. As illustrated, these guides may consist of a metal yoke 4, on the crosspiece 5 of which are mounted gauges 6 adj ustable in position on the cross-piece to accommodate the width of the record strip employed and to guide the strips which are directly supported on the cross-piece 5, which latter may be provided with rollers 7 if desired. The yoke 4 may be held in position by a brace S pivoted to the yoke at 9. The yoke and the brace may be fastened to the back of the framework of thetypewriter carriage at- 10 and 11, so as to travel with the carriage. After passing over the yoke, the superposed paper strips pass down to and around the platen 1, being then in position for being inscribed, it being understood that transfer medium such as carbon or other transfer sheets will be interposed between the record strips for the purpose of transferring the inscription on the outermost sheet to those thm'ebencath. The successive sets of aligning apertures are indicated at 12, being prefcrably adjacent the bottom of each printed form. In the preferred form the carbon sheets are as long as the record strips and interleaved therewith in the supply packet, and have aligning apertures similarly spaced as in the record strips.

Mounted on the aper carriage is a gripper bar 13, the, straight edge of which is indicated at 14: and may act; as a tear-01f bar.

7 The gripper bar 13 is pivoted'to arms 15 of a bracket, which has a member or plate 16 removably mounted on a cross rod 17, which rod 1? lies in front of the platen 1 and moves up and down with the platen, as the is moved to bring the line of inscription to position to be inspected by the operator.

Clam )ing yokes 18 may be fixed to the memher 11;. the screws 19 serving to clamp the yokes-18 to the cross-bar 17. Attached to the under-face of the gripper bar 13 are leaf springs 20, the ends of which bear against the flat face of the member 16, so as to tend to rotate the gripper bar in a direction away from the surface of the platen 1. By pressing down upon the gripper bar 13, the edge 14 thereof may be caused to cooperate with the platen to grip the paper record strips therebctween.

platen.

Upstanding from the member 16 are the rigid standards 21, the upper ends of which overlie the gripper bar 13, and pivotally support a yoke 22 having a handle- 23, and also having two aligning pins 24, which pins are adapted to penetrate'the aligning apertures in the record strips. In the position illustrated the'pins project toward the normal path of the record strips, and in this position of the yoke 22 the gripper bar 13 is lifted by "the springs 20 so as not to grip the record strips. But when the yoke 22 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, the arms of the yoke will contact with and depress the gripper bar 13 so as to grip the record strips to the platen 1. For this purpose the arms of the yoke 22 may have cam surfaces 25.

Beneath the platen 1 are one or more friction rollers 30, which cooperate to press the record strips against the surface of the platen, so that upon rotating the platen the record strips will be fed or retracted as desired. These rollers need not be further described, as they are usual in typewriting machines. In customary practice the rollers 30 are spring pressed against the platento grip the paper, but their grip on the paper may be released by retracting them from the platen, as is well understood.

In operation the yoke 22 is turned to position in which the cams 25 permit the springs 20 to lift the gripper bar 13 from the surface of the platen 1'. In this position the gripper bar 13 does not interfere with the feed of the strips'as the platen rotates Furthermore, the aligning pins 24, project toward the record strips in convenient position to be engaged by the aligning apertures in the strips. Having completed inscription upon the strips the rollers 30 are retracted from the platen by the usual means provided therefor. Thereupon the advance end of the assemblage of superposed record strips may be grasped by the operator, and all the stri s, including interleaved carbon strips, may e drawn upwardly past the platen so as to bring the next set of printed forms onto the platen for inscription. When the aligning apertures of the inscribed set of forms arrive opposite the aligning pins, the operator will engage the apertures over the pins, and may joggle the paper until the aligning apertures accurately register with each other at the point where they engage the pins. lVhen the aligning apertures are in registry at the-pin engaging points, the next succeeding weakened line of the strips will also be in superposed registry, and in position adjacent the edge 14 of the gripper bar 13. Thercupon, by rotating the yoke 22 by its handle 23, toward the operator, the aligning pins 24 may be drawn out of the aligning apertures, and the cams 25 of the yoke will cause the gripper bar 13 to cooperate with the platen 1 to grip the superposed strips closely adjacent the edge 14. Thereupon, by grasping the advance end of the assembled strips, the advance and previously inscribed printed forms may be torn from the main body of the strips along the weakened lines adjacent the edge 14. The weakened lines may be of a character so readily torn that it is unnecessary to have a straight edge along which tearing may occur. But in case a strai ht edge is needed, the edge 14 of the gripper fir 13 will serve as such.

Having proceeded as above described, it will be seen that the advance set of printed formsremaining in the machine will be in superposed registry and ready for immediate inscription, on further operation of the typewriter. 7

The supporting guides at the rear of the platen carriage serve to hold the superposed record strips in positions relatively squared with the platen, notwithstanding the travel of the platen in line spacing direction. Furthermore, these guides cooperate with the ,platen carriage to support part of the record strips in a loose manner, which is conducive to proper feeding thereof by rotation of the platen as the latter may be rotated in line spacing direction.

Thus, by the above described construction, are accomplished, among others, the objects hereinbefore referred to.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for aligning superposed strips for typewriting machines and the like in cluding, in combination, a movable strip- .aligningpin adjacent the platen, a bar movable tcward and from the platen to grip and to relieve grip on the strips, and means so coordinating the movements of said pin and bar that when said pin moves to position to receive the apertures of said strips, said her makes a grip-relieving movement.

2. A device for aligning superposed strips for typewriting machines and the like including, in combination, a reciprocally movable paper carriage, a rotatable platen, a movable strip-aligning pin adjacent said platen, a strip gripper bar movable toward and from the platen, said pin and bar mounted on said carriage, and means so coordinating the movements of said pin and bar that when said pin is moved to position to receive the apertures of said strips, said bar is moved to grip-relieving relation to said platen.

3. A device for ali ning superposed strips for typewriting machines and the like, including, in combination, a reciprocally movable paper carriage, a rotatable platen, a movable strip-aligning pin adjacent said platen, a strip-gripper bar movable toward and from the platen, and means so coordinating the movements of said pin and bar, that when said pin is moved to position to receive (he aperl ures of said strips, said bar is moved to grip-relieving relation to said platen, and vice versa, and means adapted to support and guide the record strips in a-loose manner over the typewriting machine to said-platen.

4. An aligning device fortypewriting machines and the like including, in combination, a rotatable platen, a bracket, a strip-gripper bar pivoted on said bracket, a yoke pivoted on said bracket adapted to press said bar into strip-gripping relation to said platen, aligning pins movable with said yoke, and a spring arranged to urge said gripper bar in opposition to the direction of movement effected by said yoke.

5. An aligning device for typewriting ma chines and the like including, in combination,

ed to extend toward the platen of the machine, a yoke pivotally connected to said member and overlying said gripper bar, said yoke having an aligning pin projecting therefrom, springs adapted to urge said bar away from said platen, rotation of said yoke being adapted to press said bar toward said platen against the resistance of said springs.

6. An aligning device for typewriting machines and the like including, in combination, a bracket, a strip gripper member and a strip aligning member each pivoted to said bracket, one of said members having an arm adapted to move the other member around its pivotal axis in one direction, and a spring adapted resiliently to resist pivotal movement of said last mentioned member by said arm.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature.

WILLIAM J. WISWALL. 

